Fighting Moratoriums in Washington

Washington State lawmakers want to discourage local governments from enacting marijuana moratoriums.

On Tuesday, a group of 10 lawmakers proposed two bills that are aimed at curbing local marijuana bans. The bills were prompted by concerns that moratoriums would severely limit access to recreational marijuana, and thus allow the current black-market industry to thrive.

One bill, HB 2322, would penalize any municipality that imposes a ban by making it ineligible to receive a cut of the state’s liquor licensing fees, a total fund estimated last year at $49.5 million.

The accompanying bill, HB 2144, takes a softer approach. Under this bill, the state would provide local municipalities 30% of the state’s excise tax revenues on recreational marijuana sales.

Under Washington’s I-502 law, which legalized recreational marijuana, municipalities retain authority to pass zoning regulations and essentially ban marijuana businesses. In addition, local officials have final authority to grant licenses for operation, after the business has passed through the state’s licensing process.

2 comments on “Fighting Moratoriums in Washington”

It’s funny how that the constitution state set forth the highest criteria yet in this country (basically Pharma) with a minimum 2-4 million dollar set up costs,their decision to regulate this industry WILL play a role eventually on the national level as this becomes legal